Display structure



March 8, 1960 A. BRAVIAK 2,927,665

DISPLAY STRUCTURE Filed July 17. 1953 dresses, or other wearing apparel.

Unite States. Patent DISPLAY STRUCTURE This invention relates to a display structure, and is particularly concerned with the mounting of bracket supports in connection with a prefabricated panel or a continuous series of such panels to provide a display structure of any desired length.

Display structures of the type with which the present invention is concerned may be used to support shelving on which merchandise is displayed, or a rod upon which garment hangers may be supported to display suits, The display structure may be supported against a wall or similar supporting surface, or may be incorporated into a show case;

The panels are fabricated as individual units that are identical in construction so that they can be mass produced. They are shipped as units to the site of installation and are assembled with the few necessary accessories at the installation site. Generally the installation is of a length to require several panels, and these are secured together in side by side relationship with a thin bracket support between juxtaposed side walls of adjacent panels. A bracket support suitable for incorporation into the display structure of the present invention is disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 355,057, filed May 14, 1953. The bracket supports are in the form of elongated, relatively thin, flat metal or wood strips of generally rectangular form. The side walls of the bracket support are flat, and each wal is engaged by one side wall of an adjacent panel. Fastening means extending through apertures in the adjacent side walls of two adjoining panels and through apertures in the bracket support hold the bracket support in upright position.

The front wall of the bracket support is interrupted by a series of apertures each of which opens into a reentrant slot of generally hook-shape. In the position in which the bracket support is held between adjacent panels the slots extend upwardly, and the lower wall of each slot sweeps in a continuous curved path rearwardly and upwardly from thefront wall. The open sides of the slots are closed by the side walls of the adjoining panels. These side walls not only support the bracket support, but they also give the necessary lateral stability to the brackets which are removably engaged in the slots. The rear portion of each-bracket is provided with a single, hook shaped projection corresponding in size and shape to the slots in the bracket support. The lower curved wall of each slot and the complementary character of the slot of the support and the projection of the bracket enables the projection to be inserted into the slot by a simple pivotal movement from the front of the display structure, to interlock the bracket with the bracket support.

, In, the display structure of the present invention embodying a series of prefabricated panels with a bracket support positioned between the side walls of each of the adjoining panels,"a bracket support is also positioned adjacent each outer side wall of the two outer panels of the series, and these outer panels are finished on their ex,- posed sidewall by a facing strip of wood'or similar material mounted to conceal the end bracket support and to present a neat, attractiveappearance. If a single panel isTused', .lfac'in'g strips are provided'on both sidesof .it. The series of panels are mounted on a wall or other suitable surface as a unit, and may be provided with,

levelling means if the surface is not sutliciently level.

In accordance with my present invention the 'pre fabricated panels are spaced together very closely since the bracket supports require no more room than the thickness of the bracket supported thereby. The bracket supports are set back from the front edge of the panel, side walls so that the gaps in the back wall of the display, Brackets may be structure are almost unnoticeable. mounted at the outer edge of thetwo end panels and between any adjacent panels to provide support for shelves or hanger support rods at substantially any desired spacing. I

, Other features and advantages of the present invention will be'described in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a display structure embodying the invention; 1

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one end panel having a bracket support positioned adjacent one side wall and adapted to be assembled with other similar panels to I form a display structure;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing an intermediate panel with a bracket support positioned adjacent one side wall;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing an end panel adapted to be used at the end of the display structure opposite the panel shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view showing a displaystructure secured to a supporting wall, with the supporting wall shown in section;

Fig. 6 is' a fragmentary cross sectional view showing? one of the panels in position against a supporting wall; Fig. 7 is adetail perspective view of a clip adapted to be secured to a wall for supporting one of the panels; .1 Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of a bracket adapted to be secured to each panel and fitting into the clip shown in Fig. 7 to support the panels in upright'position; and

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of means for levelling the display structure relative to the wall and floor adjacent which it is positioned.

Referring to the drawings, the prefabricated panel: V comprises a pair of side walls 2, 3, a top wall 4, a bottonr wall 5, and a front wall 6. The side walls, top wall and bottom wall are secured together at their ends to form a rectangular frame. These frame members are substantially concealed from view by front wall 6 which extends flush with their outer edges. 7

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a bracket support 7 is sewith a curve of complementarycharacter to the curve of slot 8, may be'inserted in the slot by a simple pivotalmovement to interlock the bracket with its support.

Downward pressure on the bracket merely increases the security with which it is held in the support, and the bracket can not be removed from the support except by' a pivotal movement reversed relative to the movement by which it is inserted into place. The side wall 2 of one'panel and side wall 3 of the adjacent panel abut- ...opposite sides of the bracket support interposed there-" between, so that they close the sides of the slots 8 and impart lateral stability to the bracket and its support. Preferably side walls 2 and 3 are provided with apertures 11, aligned with apertures 12 in the bracket supports, to eliminate the necessity of drilling the side walls of the panels at the site of installation, and to insure accurate alignment of the bracket supports. Adjacent panels are secured together, with a bracket support properly aligned therebetween, merely by passing a suitable bolt through the aligned apertures 11 and 12 and tightening a nut on the bolt.

A bracket support is also secured to the exposed side wall of each of the two outer panels of the series of panels comprising the display structure of the present invention. A facing strip 13 of wood or other suitable material is secured to the exposed side wall of the two outer panels in the series. These strips are preferably imperforate and are secured by means of screws 14 which pass through the apertures 11 and 12 in the side wall and the bracket support aligned therewith, and are threaded into the strip 13. The screws do not pass entirely through strip 13 so as not to detract from its appearance.

When the display structure is to be secured to a wall, such as indicated at 14' in Figs. and 6, a plurality of metal clips 15 are secured to the wall in horizontal alignment. Clips 15 are spaced at any desired intervals, but preferably two clips are provided for each panel. Top wall 4 of each panel is provided with a pair of brackets 16 spaced to coincide with the spacing of clips 15 and each provided with a downwardly extending arm 17 spaced rearwardly of top wall 4 and adapted to fit between flanges 18 projecting forwardly from opposite edges of each clip 15. Clips 15 are secured tightly against the surface of wall 14' regardless of whether the wall is level.

An angular plate 19 is secured to the lower surface of bottom wall 5 with a flange 20 depending therefrom in alignment with the rear edge of bottom wall 5. A vertical levelling screw 21, threaded in a suitable aperture extending through plate 19, engages bottom wall 5 and is operable to raise or lower the panel relative to wall 14' by rotation in the proper direction. A pair of horizontal levelling screws 22, threaded in apertures extending through flange 20, may be rotated to move the bottom end of the panels toward or away from the surface of wall 14.

The method of properly aligning the display structure to present a straight, neat appearance is extremely simple. Clips 15 are secured to wall 14' in horizontal alignment with any desired spacing. Brackets l6 and plates 19 may be secured to top and bottom walls 4 and 5, respectively, of the individual panels either before the panels are assembled into a single unit or after such assembly. It should be noted that the spacing of brackets 16 must be the same as the spacing for clips 15. The brackets 16 and plates 19 are secured to the panels in conventional fashion by screws, and it is preferred to secure them at the installation site because this simplifies the packing and shipping of the prefabricated panels. Brackets 16 and plates 19 may be conveniently packed and shipped with bracket supports 7, strips 13, and the screws and bolts for securing the panels together.

After the panels have been assembled into a display unit, the entire unit is lifted against the wall with brackets 16 above clips 15, and is then lowered with each arm 17 engaged in between flanges 18 of one of the clips 15. Screws 22 are then rotated in the proper direction until the bottom end of each panel is spaced from the surface of wall 14' a distance su'fficient to align all bottom walls 5 with the top walls 4 sothat front walls 6 present a smooth surface regardless of the surface contours of the walls on which the display structure is mounted. Vertical screws 21 are then adjusted until the bottom of each panel is suitably supported, regardless of the unevenness of the floor. The vertical adjustment preferably raises the top wall of each panel slightly above clips 15 so that the weight of the display structure is carried by screws 21 rather than by clips 15.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have devised a display structure comprising a plurality of prefabricated panels secured together in side by side relationship with gaps between adjoining panelsequal in width to the thickness of the bracket supports secured therebetween, whereby the front surface of the structure has the appearance of a substantially continuous length of whatever material is used for the front wall 6 of each panel. Brackets 10 may be inserted into these narrow gaps from the front of the display structure with the rear hookshaped projection entering the slot 8 of the bracket support substantially concealed within the gap. The brackets are pivotally moved into interlocking relationship with the hook-shaped slots and are adequately supported to carry any reasonable weight without sagging or pulling the display structure away from the wall against which it is mounted.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example, the display structure may be mounted in a show case instead of on a wall. In this event, levelling plate 19 may be eliminated because the wall and floor of show cases are normally level. It is also possible, when the display structure is mounted on a wall, to use any suitable levelling means instead of the screws 21 and 22. Brackets 10, as shown in Fig. 1 are shaped to support a shelf 23, but may be shaped to support a rod upon which a plurality of garment hangers may be hung. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact structure described.

I claim:

1. A display structure comprising a plurality of prefabricated panels each having a pair of vertical side walls, said panels being aligned horizontally with a bracket support between adjacent side walls, fastening means extending between said adjacent side walls to secure said panels in horizontal alignment, a bracket support mounted on the exposed side wall of each of the two outer panels, a facing strip abutting each of said bracket supports on the exposed side walls of the two outer panels, means concealed by said facing strips securing each of said facing strips and the adjacent bracket support to the adjacent side wall, means on said panels for securing them to a wall as a unit, and means for moving said panels angularly in a plane perpendicular to said last mentioned wall to align them in a vertical plane.

2. A display structure comprising a plurality of panels horizontally aligned in closely spaced relationship, each of said panels including a top wall, a bottomwall, and a pair of side walls, a bracket support interposed between adjacent side walls of adjoining panels, said bracket support having a hook-shaped slot extending rearwardly from an opening in its front wall, fastening means securing adjacent side walls and said interposed bracket support together, means for mounting said display structure on a wall, and means for moving each of said panels angularly in a plane perpendicular to said last mentioned wall to align them in a vertical plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent 593,273 Germany Feb. 17, 

